Highlights

We have had a fabulous fall break and now are back to reality. Well, at least most of us are. Daddy is en route to the USA for the first time in six months. We got a little taste of it last week while visiting friends at a base in England. We all felt strange eating Taco Bell, walking through a grocery store packed with Americans speaking English, looking at every American item you could ever imagine right there on the shelves and the kids had a fabulous time on an impromptu trick or treat outing in the base housing. Our kids weren't wearing costumes and were carrying plastic grocery bags so they were basically begging for food, but they enjoyed that experience even more than the Belgian trick or treating where they were digging through bowls of opened candy with other kids. They did get some interesting items while trick or treating in Belgium such as a mint from a European airline, a marshmallow and a single Cheeto--not a bag, one Cheeto. Most of the people who are not Americans and living in the neighborhood we were trick or treating in were happy to hand out candy-or whatever-but they just propped a bowl at the door and stood nearby talking to other adults while drinking wine. There was no, "Oh how cute! Look at the little princess!" or "Wow! You are a great Ninja Turtle. Which one are you?" While we were trick or treating on the base, we heard people trying very hard to decipher our children's costumes, "Wow, are you..? Ummmm. What are you?" (To be fair, Nathan was wearing the top to some borrowed Superman pj's and Hannah was wearing her Halloween t-shirt from last year). I must also mention that the Belgians missed the memo about not having huge open flames lining their driveways while hosting trick or treaters wearing long capes. I felt like Edna Mode from the Incredibles, "No Capes!" As far as I know no one's costume burst into flames, but I had the urge to reiterate the Stop, Drop and Roll lesson from our fire station visit last year. Yikes!

We had a great visit with Aunt Carole, part one. She returns for part two on Friday. She was able to see Hannah at her Little Gym class and pick Nathan up from school on Friday before we left for Cologne, Germany. We spent the weekend there visiting the amazing Cologne Cathedral and saw several castles along the Rhine. Of course, Aunt Carole might not view the trip the same way because when traveling with three small children, you actually just see the castles. You don't spend time touring them or really learning the history. We have learned to take in as much as we can while keeping the children happy and the read the historical background later. After our trip to Cologne we enjoyed some down time at home and then took a trip to the Natural Science Museum in Brussels. Apparently every other parent in the area was aware that the museum began their dinosaur exhibit last week as well. We stood in line for an hour to get in. Did I mention it was raining? Did I mention that this rookie Belgian was fooled by the sunshine while we were parking the car and walking to the museum and left the umbrellas in the car? Did I mention that we arrived at lunch time? Did I also mention that Aunt Carole stood in line another 45 minutes to buy our lunch while being run over by some woman's stroller? Did I mention that while we were standing out in the rain a guide kept coming out and giving speeches in French and Dutch and then led the group in a lively song about waiting to see the dinosaurs. (At least that is what we figured, since we couldn't understand him). Yeah, it's all true. So we hope Aunt Carole is coming back for part two.

We left on Halloween for England and traveled through the Eurotunnel with our car. The kids loved that our car was on a train going under water. The English countryside was beautiful with all of the fall colors. We visited our friends home in Bury St. Edmonds, ate dinner at a traditional English pub--yum, spent all day Friday in London, and had such a great time just being with our friends. We were truly exhausted and possibly a little bit insane taking 6 children aged 5 years and under into London. It is such an incredible city and HUGE! The subway is not stroller friendly, but the people were so friendly and helpful. Nathan was so excited to see the things he has been learning about in school like The London Eye and Big Ben, (Parliament). The five of us rode The London Eye and it was amazing. We will have to go back and spend more time there, but we need about 4 or 5 more hands. It was quite exhausting making sure everyone got on and off of the subway and the buses and deciphering the maps to find the right stops. Thanks to the Dads for all of their work keeping us from getting lost or separated in London.

All in all, a fabulous fall break. Tomorrow it is back to kindergarten and French class. Back to grocery shopping and errand running in French and back to calling the landlord to explain a slow drip on our downstairs toilet. It was such a nice break to hear and speak English without trying so hard for a few days and to actually be able to read all of the signs. Though I can't say I ever felt comfortable being in the car on the left hand side. I didn't drive at all, but Daddy did and he said it was strange coming back to the right hand side after 3 days of the opposite. He'll probably feel even more strange driving in the US. If anyone sees a rental car on the sidewalks in the Detroit area, that might be him.